The risk to the general population from the H5N1 avian flu remains low, as announced today by a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) following the first reported death from the virus in the U.S.

The patient, over 65 years old with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized in December after being exposed to a combination of domestic poultry and wild birds, according to health officials in Louisiana.

“We are concerned, of course, but we are looking at the risk to the general population, and it remains low,” said WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris during a press briefing in Geneva, responding to questions about the risks from the virus.

When asked whether surveillance of the virus in the U.S. was adequate, she responded, “They are doing enough surveillance. That’s why we’re hearing about this.”

Since April, nearly 70 people in the U.S. have contracted bird flu, most of them farmers, as the virus spreads among poultry flocks and dairy herds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Like the WHO, U.S. federal and state officials have stated that the risk to the general population remains low.